Joel Embiid has endured so many injuries throughout his career, and that has not changed during the Philadelphia 76ers' ongoing NBA Playoffs series against the New York Knicks. The 76ers big man is on the injury report ahead of Game 4, so is Joel Embiid playing tonight vs. the Knicks?
After suffering a torn meniscus during the regular season, Embiid underwent surgery that kept him out of action for close to two months. But Embiid returned before the end of the season, and despite several scares, he has managed to play all three games of the 76ers' series against the Knicks so far. But after Game 3, Embiid disclosed he has also been dealing with Bell's palsy, so things would seem to be even more uncertain than usual.
So let's discuss Embiid's injury status for Game 4 vs. the Knicks.
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Joel Embiid injury status vs. Knicks for Game 4
Joel Embiid is listed as “questionable” on the latest NBA injury report, with a designation of ‘Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Injury Recovery.' Of course, this is in reference to the February procedure to repair the lateral meniscus in his left knee, which caused Embiid to miss the entirety of February and March before returning on April 2 in the 76ers' seventh-to-last regular-season game.
Since returning, Embiid played five of the 76ers' final seven games and has played all three playoff games so far. And considering Embiid has not reaggravated the knee to our knowledge, it is very likely Embiid will be suiting up for and playing Game 4.
As for the Bell's palsy diagnosis, while it is something to watch out for, Embiid said he has been dealing with it for a few weeks now. Additionally, he seems determined to play through what he said started as migraines but has since developed into partial paralysis on the left side of his face.
“It's pretty annoying,” Embiid said after Game 3. “My left side of my face, my mouth, and my eye, so yeah, it's been tough, but I'm not a quitter, so I got to keep fighting through anything. It's unfortunate, that's the way I look at it. That's not an excuse, I got to keep pushing.”
If the 76ers are to win their first-round series against the Knicks, Embiid must play. The 2023 NBA MVP was dominant when he played this season and so were the Sixers; Philadelphia was 31-8 when Embiid played in the regular season and 16-27 when he did not play.
In each of the first three games of the series, Embiid has scored at least 29 points, including a 50-point explosion in Game 3 that helped lift the 76ers to their first victory in the playoffs. The win did not come without controversy, though, as Embiid grabbed Mitchell Robinson's leg as Robinson jumped for a rebound. The foul, which Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo called “dirty,” earned Embiid a Flagrant 1 but very easily could have been grounds for an ejection-worthy Flagrant 2.
There was some speculation among fans and media members that Embiid would be punished by the league in the form of a suspension for Game 4, although Knicks beat writer Fred Katz reported that Embiid would not be suspended.
So with no suspension and without any setbacks in regards to his knee or Bell's palsy, Joel Embiid will likely play Game 4 against the Knicks.
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